Leipzig Zoo: Koala offspring in danger – Yuma and the females have no reaction!

Leipzig Zoo: Koala offspring in danger – Yuma and the females have no reaction!

At Leipzig Zoo, the koalas are at the center of a difficult situation. Despite the heartwarming harmony between male koala Yuma and females Mandie and Erlinga, there is currently no reproduction in the koala house. Thuringia24 reports, that the animal inhabitants get along peacefully with each other, but do not develop reproductive behavior. Animal keeper Philipp Hünemeyer says that although Yuma is healthy and active, he has little success interacting with the females.

The koala house follows an open concept that allows the animals direct contact. Despite the good relationships between the koalas, reproduction remains a major challenge. Hünemeyer explains that the females show no interest in Yuma, which may indicate that they are too used to each other. Ultimately, the zoo remains combative and plans to introduce Yuma to the females again before a temporary separation - but with no apparent reaction.

The plan for reproduction

To stimulate reproductive behavior, the zoo team plans to separate Yuma from the females. The goal is to create desire for Yuma by withdrawing contact. Currently there is still hope for offspring, as the females have not yet shown any signs of a pouch, which indicates a lack of offspring. The situation can be described as serious, but not hopeless.

Koalas in Leipzig Zoo

Koalas are fascinating arboreal animals and are related to kangaroos. They are known for their excellent climbing skills and spend most of their lives sleeping - between 18 and 20 hours per day. They spend the rest of their waking hours eating, with their specialized diet consisting of difficult-to-digest and nutrient-poor eucalyptus leaves. A single koala needs around 30 kilograms of these leaves every week. Leipzig Zoo receives support from Garten- und Landschaftsbau Schilling GmbH, which grows 25 species of eucalyptus and provides part of the feed.

Keeping koalas is expensive and subject to strict rules, as all koalas in American and European zoos are the property of Australia. At Leipzig Zoo, feeding takes place in two meals per day, which are spread over several feeding stations in order to accommodate the picky koalas, who only eat around 5% of the food on offer.

As part of a European conservation breeding program, the welfare of the koalas is intensively looked after. Nevertheless, the challenge of promoting reproduction remains central to the zoo team. The situation surrounding Yuma and his females remains tense, especially with regard to the desired goal of soon raising offspring.